


ZERO Fragments

by Skyler_Anderton



Category: Ace Combat
Genre: Fighter Pilots, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Military, Strangereal Universe (Ace Combat)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29510415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyler_Anderton/pseuds/Skyler_Anderton
Summary: Stories in Chapters are not continuous. Please see Chapter Index and every chapter's name.
Relationships: Cipher/Larry "Solo Wing Pixy" Foulke
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Phantom Eagle

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my main language so there may be some error, hope it doesn't effect the story.

Ustio Air Force Lieutenant General Gerhard Ritter's collection of photographs includes an old black-and-white photo taken during the Osean War. Photographer's name and exact date on the back was blurred, leaving only the year "1908."

The photo shows a pilot smoking cigarette next to a Belkan Fokker Dr.I triplane. This man looks young, but no trace of childish on his face. He's wearing common Air Force leather jacket, hair probably black or brown, and his irises are light.  
Instead of looking at the camera, he looked up at sky in the distance, which can't tell what color of it at that time.

The lower half of his face is obscured a little by smoke he exhaled, but a vague outline could still be seen.

Place under that dark colored triplane's cockpit painted with some small, light-colored signs, representing the number of shot down, the showing part that not blocked by pilot's body can count 89 signs. 

If that's true record, the name of this pilot would go down in history.

But Ritter don't know his name. No one does.

While still in the Belkan Air Force, Ritter went through the archives of Osean War to find this pilot's identity. If his record is this astonishing and there's a photograph exist, then must be some story about him. Even Ritter tried very hard, there was nothing, like this pilot doesn't exist.

As a collector of old photos for years, Ritter is confident in his experience, that this photo is not a fake. He stared into the eyes of the pilot, there are no emotion in it. Just completely blank.   


"Who is he? "

Ritter feels a strange thrillingness comes from over 70 years ago, and longing for answers.

Curiosity about the pilot's identity remained with Ritter.

On 26 May 1992, Osean Air Defense Force declared two of their F-22 has been attacked by an unidentified F-15 while patrolling offshore airspace.

At a time when the Cold War is still under way, countries clarify that F-15 did not belong to them, and at the same time being suspicious of each other.

Ritter didn't pay much attention to it at first.  
But that F-15 could be said to be very active afterwards. In true or false news and informations, sightings of that F-15 are found on the continents of Osea, Anea and Usea, as well as indiscriminate attacks and cat-playing-with-mouse like threats on all military aircraft in the airspace above or near conflict zone.

Because of its power and mystery, it soon gained a nickname, "Phantom Eagle."

The first photo of the Phantom Eagle was taken by Wellow P-3C, and soon released to the public. Worth mentioning, every place that should be tail code, aircraft number, insignia, are scrawled out by similarly coloured paint.

Ritter looked at that picture on the screen and suddenly thought about that Belkan triplane pilot in 84 years ago, but the association makes no sense, so it was quickly forgotten.

Phantom Eagle created a new story in 1993.  
"Solo Wing Pixy", a mercenary who got right wing torn off during a dogfight with Phantom Eagle, managed to fly back to base and land safely with only one wing. This miraculous positive event temporary received more attention than Phantom Eagle.

Although Ustio was independent as a republic, its military are still weak. Ustio has been recruiting foreign mercenaries for prepares. Belka, who has refused to recognise Ustio's independence, could start a war any day now that the extreme right wing party is in control.

Upon learning that Solo Wing mercenary has left Belkan Air Force, Ritter had an invitation sent to him, but his response was somewhat equivocal.

In late 1993, Ritter pays a visit to Valais Air Base. On the same day of his landing, an unidentified aircraft flew over the edge area of Tyrann Mountains. Just as Valais fighters scrambled take off to intercept this aircraft, the radar signal of it suddenly disappeared.

So Valais also sent a rescue helicopter to search, and found a fighter half-buried in snow on a gentle slope near where the signal disappeared. The pilot still in the cockpit.  
Based on those traces around, it looks like a crash landing.  
As the helicopter pilot circled around looking for a safe landing spot, she noticed that's an unmarked F-15C.

"Is that... Phantom Eagle?" Jenkins, the helicopter pilot, remembers something, but she's not sure about it.  
The canopy is broken. In this season's cold in Tyrann Mountains, that pilot would not last long, if he still alive. The crew quickly opened the canopy to drag unconscious pilot out and carry him to the helicopter. Jenkins took several photos of the damaged F-15C before they took off.

Wreckage exploded shortly after helicopter fly away. The firelight flamed the unmelted snow on the hillside.

After some medical examination, doctors found that pilot was lucky, he's only minor injuried. After body temperature returned to normal, he's out of danger. 

Strange thing is, he has some old scars, most of them are on the outside of his arms, and one appeared to be gunshot scar on his belly. There were no badges on his flight suit to identify him, and even though he's wearing dog tags on his neck, there was no name or number on it, just two pieces of smooth metal wrapped in black rubber. 

After hearing the report, Ritter's long-lost curiosity seemed to wake up. Driven by intuition, he went to the infirmary.

The nameless black hair pilot is awake. He sat in the bed, right wrist was handcuffed to rails. He's looking the snow out the window, respond nothing to Ritter's arrival.

Ritter walk to the end of his bed and stopped. The face of the man in front of him gradually overlapped with the face of triplane pilot he remembered. 

Maybe Ritter is stared at him too long, the pilot finally turned his head, those pale grey iris almost identical to the sky outside.

"I'm Lieutenant General Gerhard Ritter of Ustio Air Force. You're in our base. " Ritter's attitude is friendly, "Can you tell me your name? "

Pilot didn't answer him.

Ritter suddenly have a strange feeling of uncomfort, he quickly figured out why.

Although they are looking at each other, but the subtle interactions between human communications, like facial expressions, eye contact, no matter how slight, are completely one-way.

'That blank. He's so similar to that triplane pilot in every way. Does such thing can really exist? '

As Ritter thinking what to do next, there was a slightly coldness in pilot's eyes. That begins to make him a little bit close to human.

"I don't know." Although he said this, no confuse on his face.

Ritter ventured: "But you know how to fly a fighter jet, right?"

"I think you know the answer."

Ritter caught impatience in his voice, but it only intensified the lingering sense of strangeness.  
This man's so-called emotions were not from the inside, it's more similar to something purposely written on the surface.  
Unlike emotions, humans are born with the ability to make sounds but if want to speak languages you have to learn and imitate.   
And maybe this man's emotions are not something born with him, they're just imitation. He probably not impatient at all. 

Even so, Ritter knew it is time to talk straight to the point.  
A crazy idea had been in Ritter's mind since he saw the pilot's face, or perhaps it's more of an impulse.

Phantom Eagle's presence here at this time may represent something important.

As fatalistic as it sounds, Ritter sort of believes in this, but he's also a man who doesn't let go of talents and will put them in good use. Even if he was whimsical about the pilot in front of him is the same person as the triplane pilot, this man is Phantom Eagle, who can help Ustio in the coming war.

"Countries are investigating, pursuit the 'Phantom Eagle', but now 'Phantom Eagle' is missing. Ustio Air Force accidentally crashed a F-15C during the training, pilot survived." Ritter saying these untrue lies like they were real thing.

The pilot blinked, silently wait for Ritter continue to say more about this bargain.

"I will give you a proper 'real identity.' " Ritter then says, "How about a foreign mercenary pilot we hired? "


	2. 1995.5.14. Small Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These two pilots haven't realized what is going on between them yet. But soon after one of them will.

It is not often that the ceremony of the investiture is held when the war is not completely over.  
But for the Republic of Ustio, which had liberated the capital yesterday, chased out the enemy Belkans from its territory, and joined the offensive side, there certainly is many things worth to celebrate, even the stars are mercenaries.

The major problem now was one of these mercenaries can't be found.

Colonel Simons, the deputy commander of the Valais Air Base, paced restlessly, making the monitor room staff nervous.

"Don't tell me he can vanish in a military base." Simons paused to stare at the replay on the screen.

"Who vanished?" Larry, being called here, just walked in.

"Where's Cipher?" Simons ask him with impolitely tone.

"I have no idea."

"You share a room with him and you don't know where he is?"

"He wasn't there when I got back."

"He's not answering hails. He was last be seen at dinning room, then he disappeared."

"Cipher can be very elusive, you know." Larry added fuel to the fire.

Simons's face suddenly twisted a little. "General Ritter indulges those unruly mercenaries too much."

"Mercenary is here, he can hear you."

"And you too, Second Lieutenant Foulke." Simons infuriated by Larry's flirtatious attitude, emphasize the difference in rank between himself and Larry word by word. "Ritter values Cipher, I know why, though it seems like he's too partial. You, on the other hand, are just a sideshow. I'm not as good-tempered as Ritter, and since the contract is still under way, you better remember who's the superior."

Larry clenched his jaw.

"Do you hear me, mercenary?"

"Yes, Colonel."

"Now, be a good hound fetch me your flight lead--"

"Colonel! Found him, he's in the hangar." Staff shouted.

Simons paused, then said, "Good. Looks like no need to call MP."

'You just don't want the Vice President to think mercenaries you hired are undisciplined.'

"Foulke--" Simons turn around, just in time to see Larry exit the monitor room.

Larry took a deep breath, trying to calm down. God knows how hard he had to fought back the impulse to break Simons' nose.

Superiors in military can be bastards, Larry have seen enough. There's a lot people in regular armed forces are look down on mercenaries. Larry did not care so much about this kind of thing, he personally dislike Simons, this time he was annoy him on purpose. So the real point of Larry's anger was not Simons' attitude, but "you're just a sideshow."

Simons is an asshole who had just taken out his dissatisfaction at Cipher on him, but this jerk did pointed some truth that Larry had been trying to not think too much about it.

A fighter pilot like Cipher, who succeeds in every mission, won every fight, always return to base unscathed with good assult records, can easily take out Belka's world-famous mighty air force. He don't talk to other people much and may disappear for a while when not on a mission, are not a problem at all.

Larry have the higheist record of other pilot in this base, but still no match for Cipher.

'Maybe he don't need any wingman, he don't need me.'

Although Larry felt depressed sometimes, it's not jealousy. Whenever Larry thinks of his flight leader's invincible in the sky, there's admiration and proud pumping in his heart, and something more personal, the desire to challenge Cipher, to conquer him.  
'If there's a chance for a simulate dogfight or something...' Larry suddenly thought of the Phantom Eagle that had torn off his wing. Who can have the sky, Cipher, or Phantom Eagle? Unfortunately, Phantom Eagle shows no activity for a long time, it seems gone missing before this war began.

Larry just realized that his anger had somehow disappeared.

He strolled over to their hangar and turned on the lights. Just their F-15C quietly rest in the nest. No one is here.

'He left hangar?'

Just when Larry is about to turn off the light, he spotted a plume of smoke coming out of the open hangar door on the other side of hangar.

Larry walked outside and leaned over to the door, next to that smoking man,"Never seen you smoke before."

"You don't like the smell of it." Cipher throws his cigarette to the ground and stomps it out.

‘Don't remember I mentioned to anyone... '

"Have you forgot the investiture?" Larry ask him.

"No."

"Well, I've been ordered to fetch you back. Though I don't feel much like doing that now."

Cipher looked at him inquiringly.

"I guess you don't like ceremony this kind of occasion?."Larry jokingly asked.

"Ustio is just want to keep us."

"I can see that. They're still short of fighter pilots, and they don't want to take alms from Osea all the time."

"Do you want to stay?"

Larry don't know what to answer.  
Since became a mercenary, his life has become unsettled, fighting for whoever pays him and never staying in one place for long. When not employed, he travel around the world, sleeping in various hotels and lodgings.  
The commission were good, and he's no spendthrift, had accumulated a lot of money in his account, but he never thought about buying a house or apartment, some place can call a home.

Until arrived at Ustio Valais Air Base, joined Galm Team. He started to felt like he belongs here.

So yes, he did want to stay. If Ustio offer a long-term contract similar to service, he will sign it. But does Cipher wants to stay? If the pilot who fly with him changed, will he lose that feeling of belonging?

"Haven't decide yet. You?" He know Cipher enough to aware this is a stupid question, but still want to hear an exact answer from him.

"No." Cipher replied decisively.

If he's not disappointed that will be a lie. Larry changed the subject, "I can tell them I didn't find you in hangar. I've looked the monitor room, camera here is broken, I think you know."

"No need. Mercenaries are not often get decorated."

"A big exception, right? Can't wait to see those regulars' face." Larry smiled and grabbed Cipher's shoulder. "Let's go back change into uniform, buddy."

'How Cipher would look in Ustio Air Force uniform? ' He wonder, didn't realize that Cipher always tends to avoid physical contact from other people, but allowed his touch every time.

When passing the trash can, Cipher throw the whole pack of cigarettes into it.

Larry didn't notice the sound of cigarette pack hit to the bottom, he was focus on something else. Their body are close to each other, he do hates the smell of cigarettes, and Cipher just smoked, but the scent of him smells unexpectedly good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cipher don't smoke, at least in this epoch this version of him, don't smoke.  
> He noticed Larry's mildly disgust expression when someone around them smoking. He's curious, just a little, then tried a cigarette. Cipher is not interest in it, so he throw it away.
> 
> In my impression, Larry is a person that has a lot thoughts and contradictions in his mind.
> 
> And no, Larry don't know Cipher was Phantom Eagle.


	3. In the far future (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Much more original stuff here. A young pilot lives in a dark future, his grandfather's older brother, was a maintainer in Valais Air Base. He kept his diary, read some small stories about Galm Team when they are not in the air.  
> You can consider this is a separate storyline, I mean, IF Cipher really is that triplane pilot(see chapter 1). And in this original timeline, history changed, start with lighthouse war, and AC3's story will not happen, because of Osea turn to militarism in 2020s.  
> I write this chapter with only dialogues. "Captain" here is not OC, I think is obvious who he is, or was.

Allied Forces Eastern Erusea branch.

"I've had enough of these rations. No taste at all. "

"No one likes it, Reco. But when these slimy stuff fills your stomach and your brain receives the message that you're full, you won't want to eat anything else."

"Zepp, you said meat used to come from animals, not from factory made."

"Yes, that was long before earth's human population reaching its saturation point."

"I wonder what it tastes like."

"I used to eat real meat when I was a child. I remember it was beef. It's no different from artificial beef."

"Really? I want to try, but it's too luxurious for me."

"Please, don't talk about the taste of meat. I could have eaten these things. Now my mind is full of barbecues flying around. "

"Haha."

"They said that after more facilities are recaptured, there will be more decent food."

"Is Ikarus really falls into the sea?"

"It's just a rumor. There's no intel can prove he is dead."

"But he didn't show up for a long time, right? If Ikarus is still alive, well, Osea definitely won't allow us march this far, sit here in Erusea peacefully eat our rations. I think he's dead already. "

"I hope he is."

"Ah, Captain--"

"Reco, Zepp, Mistral. Where's Hare?"

"Maybe he's making little hares with someone. Hey-- hey! Mistral! Don't throw spoon at me, I'm kidding! Sorry!"

"Well, we have an extra chocolate here."

"Chocolate! I haven't seen chocolate for a while, I miss them so much. Is it only for high rank officers now? "

“I cheated. ”

"Give it to me, I'll bring it to him."

"You will eat it yourself!"

"Mistral, give it to hare when he comes back."

"Yes, Captain."

"Don't too worry about him, that Ikarus. He's no longer here."

"'Here'?"

"Even he show up again, we have our flight leader. No need to afraid of him anymore."

"Trust me that much?"

"Of course! Without you, I don't think Allied Force can take back Usea."

"For that I can't take all the credit."

"But every big war in history has one Ace Pilots, who lead their country win the war. Starting with the Belkan War. "

"Here we go again..."

"Shut up, Zepp."

"Don't tell me to shut up, kid, my rank is higher than you."

"But your kill scores are lower than mine."

"You--"

"No fighting while dinner, boys, enough."

"Seriously, why you so interest in it? Belka is no longer exist, that old war could have been your great grandparents' time."

"My grandfather's brother, he was a witness."

"That's new. "

"He maintains planes for pilots, at that Valais Air Base. "

"Is 'that Valais' has something special?"

"It was in a country that has now been annexed by Osea, Ustian Federation."

"It's Republic of Ustio. Have you ever listened your history lessons? "

"Okay, Reco's story party starts now."

"I've watched that old documentary, 'Warriors and the Belkan War', so I hope you can tell me some different story. "

"'It's going to take a while...'"

“Reco.”

"Don't give me that scary look, Mistral. Captain, do you know that documentary? ...Captain? "

"Yeah, I've watched it."

"You haven't spoken for a while."

"Nothing, you go on. By the way, I forgot to tell you, there is no duty for us tonight. "

"Great!"

"Yes!"

"Reco, if you don't start now, I'll leave and embrace my bed."

"So you do wanna hear. Let me finish my chocolate first.

My grandfather's brother, Liam, was a lonely old man, unmarried and childless, but he liked me because I would listen to his stories.

He has the habit of keeping a diary. He said that it was only after he joined the air force. When I go to his house to spend weekand, I will take advantage of his nap and read his dairy. After he found out what I was doing, he allowed me to continue to read. I kept those diaries after he died.

The first part of his diary are full of trivialities and complaints. He doesn't like Valais Air Base, he thinks it's unfortunate to be assigned to a base in the snow mountain. Although officers said Valais is the safest place in the event of war, he was not comforted by it.

Before the war started, he was more concerned about his life quality. Compared with other Air Force bases, Valais had fewer entertainment facilities, and there was no military housing around to choose. And based on his rank, he can't have single room, and he really don't like his roomate.

So he'd rather stay in hangars, check those warbirds over and over again. He like aircrafts more than people, Liam once said this to me."

"I agree with him."

"Oh really, what about Hare? You love aircraft more than him?"

"At least machines are much adorable than you, Zepp."

"Knock it off, will ya? One day in 1993, his diary rarely wrote several pages. 

On that day he had a dispute with his roommate. Although his roommate finally compromised, he was still in a bad mood.

He plans to see the newly painted F-15C, which he is responsible for maintaining. Unexpectedly, Gerhard Ritter, Lieutenant General of Ustio Air Force, was also there. Next to him stood a young pilot. He don't know the name or TAC name of that pilot. There's no rank badge on his shoulder, maybe he is a mercenary. No name patch on his chest either.

'You can call him Cipher.' Lt General Ritter spoke first, but the pilot was still silent, his sight clearly fell on him, but didn't seem to be really looking at him.

Liam introduced his name and his work to the pilot, but pilot just nodded and ignored his handshake.

What Liam wrote in his diary is: You may think this person is cold, or arrogant. But, in fact, it's not like that."

"Ah, is that him?"

"Bingo."

"Who?"

"'Demon lord'. The most famous mercenary pilot in Belkan War."

"Oh."

"I've skip those part that's not so relevant.

In 1994, Cipher's hangar joined a red winged F-15C. Liam haven't seen Cipher for a while, only his aircraft is parked here. Liam checks them every day to make sure these two eagles are ready to charge, load weapons, and sortie at any time.

Liam has met Solo Wing several times during this time. Since you've all watched that documentary, no need to explain who is he. Liam said he was nice, but obviously didn't want to be friends with anyone in Valais, always keeping a distance. Solo Wing once asked him if he had seen his flight leader in person, because since he arrived to this base, he had never met him. Only know that his TAC name is 'Cipher'.

Liam replied, 'Yes, once. A man about your age.'

Solo Wing said, 'I guess you don't know his real name, too?' 

Liam nodded.

'Cipher, huh.' Solo Wing murmured, staring at that hellhound symbol pianted on the tail."

"Hey, Captain, I remember you've never told us your real name too. "

"That's claissified. You can call me 'Charlie' if you want."

"I know Charlie is just represent the letter C, like Alfa, Beta."

"Maybe my name really is Charlie."

"No, you don't look like Charlie at all."

"Yeah, you're right. Charlie is not my name. Now you can rule out a wrong answer."

"Reco, did his diary ever mentioned what Demon Lord looked like?"

"No."

"Too bad."

"The maintenance crew and pilot's dormitories are not together. Most of the time, they only seen each other at hangar, sometimes in the dining room. So Liam mostly just looks at them from a certain distance. He said he didn't know why he was always attracted to Cipher, like there was something special about him. But aside from the amazing record, as far as he can know, there is nothing special about Cipher himself.

The only thing worth to say is that he never laugh or smile. It's almost impossible to judge his mood by his expression. But if he gets angry, you definitely will know.  
I'll talk about that part of diary later. It is after Solo Wing disappeared from the seven nuclear explosion.

It's not easy to take care of Galm's fighters. Although they never comes back with damage, doesn't need to be repaired, but especially Cipher's F-15C is kind of... Overused. Liam always have to check it very carefully. He doesn't want the best pilot of Ustio to die in the sky because of a small malfunction."

"You know, if you keep talking about these petty things, audience will be bored."

"I'm not bored."

"Demon Lord and Solo Wing were not just teammates, there were lovers. "

"What? Oh shi--"

"Damn it, Zepp! You're gonna pay me a new shirt."

"Sorry..."

"Ha, I'm joking. Liam just noticed that they seems to have an invisible wall between them and other people in this base. When they appears together, and when they face other people, they literally has different atmosphere. It's the same when they're in the sky. Liam heard they never cooperates with other mercenary pilots. 

'A pair of hellhounds who only depends on each other.' he said this in the diary. He also said that he know Solo Wing's reason was he just don't like other mercenaries, but Cipher was different."

"Don't pause here, what do you mean different?"

"Liam didn't say. How should I know? After the Allied Forces-- I mean, Allied Forces at that time, liberated Ustio, began to invade Belka, Cipher's F-15C was replaced with a new one, because the engine was running out of it's life. Valais did propose to replace it with more advanced fighter, like F-22, but Cipher said it was unnecessary. Liam knows Cipher can fly various fighter, but Solo Wing only can fly F-15, so he guess Cipher just don't want break their team."

"To be honest, I don't really remember what these two outdated fighters looked like."

"Isn't there a picture of Galm Team in that documentary?"

"You call that a picture? "

"I've got one picture, though only F-22. Wait a second... Look. It's a paper photo kept by our former flight leader Regulus, you see F-22 behind them? Regulus showed me this photo before he transferred back to Yuktobania frontline, this is his grandfather's younger brother, blonde one."

"Ugh, Oseans."

"At that time, Osea was federalism. Although it was already the most powerful country in the world, but it haven't gone this far. These pilots are no different than us."

"Doesn't he look familiar...?"

"Huh?"

"He looks like... Ikarus."

"Wait, you can recognize similarities from Ikarus' artificial cyborg face? Good for you-- Damn, they're really alike. "

"Don't let Regulus hear this. You know how much he hated Ikarus. It's just a coincidence, perhaps. These two pilots are dead, not long after this picture was taken. It was also the death of their squadron that indirectly led to the second war between Erusea and Osea, and then evolved into a world war that continues to this day. "

“Gungnir Squadron?”

"Yeah. Some people say that it's not Erusians who attacked them, it was the extremists in Osea who don't want the Lighthouse War to end like that. But after all these years, who knows."

"If that's real, it's a tragedy to die like that. Murdered by your own country."

"That brown hair pilot next to him, look at his eyes, they are so... Blue. You know, you can have eyes of any color you want, but at their time, they haven't develop cyborg technology yet."

"Hare's eyes are very blue, too. Inborn."

"No, this blue is like cornflower."

"Corn flower? That's not blue, dummy."

"Did you grow up in a lab or something? It has nothing to do with corn. The color of blue cornflower is very similar to his eyes. If my memory is correct, it was Belka's national flower. "

"Hey, that plant plague happened before I was born."

“Pity. But the eyes of Osean pilot have the color of the Belka national flower, Ha."

"Speaking of eye color, I just remembered, Liam once told me Cipher's eyes are grey."

"Like our Captain?"

"Maybe?"

"Let me see."

"How do they look?"

"Sorry, sir. Although I know you are listening quietly, but you seem to be absent-minded. Am I boring you? "

"No. This perspective is interesting. Bring back some memories. "

"What kind of memory? Ouch, Mistral?!"

"Just shut up." 

"Well, then let me continue. 

Belka had a superweapon named Excalibur. Because of Excalibur, in an escort mission, only Galm Team survived. 

Liam noticed Solo Wing seemed nervous even after he got out of the cockpit. It's normal, though, they just fled from death. When Cipher put his hand on Solo Wing's shoulder, Solo Wing suddenly regained his calmness. Cipher looks worried. It's really rare to see this kind of expression on his face, Liam has never seen him worry about anyone, anything.

"I'm fine." He heard Solo Wing says, "Anyway we survived, again. Thanks, buddy."

Cipher also said something to his partner, but Liam couldn't hear.

A few days later, they are going to destroy Excalibur. When Liam hand their well maintained fighters to them, Solo Wing has already recovered to his normal status, he's confident. That's a good thing. Liam believe they can made another success and return safety. 

There are more aircrafts coming back than taking off. He has been informed, Crow Team, who went to other battlefields before, is back to Valais. Hangars are full again, he don't know if he should feel happy, those who died can never coming back.

Crow Team's number 3, PJ, was a very energetic young man, only 21 years old. He may be the youngest person in this base. Some older pilots like to tease him, in kindly way."

"Man, I know he died in Belkan War, but I didn't know he was that young."

"You sounds like an old man, Zepp."

"PJ seemed admire Cipher, also having respect for Solo Wing, but Solo Wing doesn't seem to like him very much. Maybe it's becuase PJ is the only one who ignored that 'invisible wall'. Liam says, 'it was like a golden retriever pups wandering around two grim hellhounds. I was worried that kid will get his butt kicked, but surprisingly, Cipher didn't exclude him. Once Solo Wing stared at PJ like that kid robbed something from him, but that look quickly fade away, maybe it just me thinking too much.'"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to clarify, about Cipher is that triplane pilot or not, I don't have an answer too. This is just an altered storyline I wrote for fun, even mixed my ocs story.  
> If you remember that two Osean F-22 was attacked by Phantom Eagle in 1992, they were Gungnir Squadron's member, just not that two in Regulus' photo.


	4. 1995.There’s something about ADFX-02 (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And about Larry, and AWWNB.  
> AI alert.

“Identify yourself."

Larry startled when a mechanical voice came out of the panel. 

Gründer Industries’ researcher is tapping, the light of screen reflected on his glasses. “Please do what it says, your full name."

“...Larry Foulke.”

“Login succeeded. Please put on headphones and microphone. "  
Larry hesitated, but did what it said. The voice immediately rang out in his ear, “Please read the following sentences after me." Then it said a sentence that was completely make no sense, and it sounds funny.

He is not in a good mood today, he doubt he ever has any good mood since June.  
ADFX-02 “Morgan" is an almost complete advanced fighter jet, it already passed flight test. He don’t understand what these inexplicable tests are for. He fidgeted take off headphones, “What's this for? If you don't intend to explain, I won't continue to cooperate the test. "

That researcher finally raised his head from keyboards, “It's just a system, prototype.” he sighed, “Its main function is to collect flight data, combat data, record radio, monitor and collect the physiological data of its pilot. It also has voice control. You can tell it what to do when you don't have time to press those buttons on the panel.”

“Why it ask me to read these?"

“Recording your voiceprint for--" the researcher suddenly shut his mouth and looked at him for a second, “Never mind, it doesn't matter, you can skip that part. If it is sure that you are unconscious in the air, it will temporarily take over control, to prevent aircraft from crashing or being destroyed. "

Larry frowned. He doesn't like this, like there was someone else in the cockpit with him, that’s uncomfortable.

Researcher continues to say, “But what it can do are very limited. It can only play an auxiliary role, at least for n--"

“It's not an AI.”The chief researcher came over, interrupted him, “If that's what you're worry about. "  
Her face is always with a shallow smile, but they are not always friendly, when she turn her eyes on her assistant researcher, he lowered his head, almost frightened, realized he just said something he shouldn't.

“You can consider it as a data collector. If you don't give it orders, it will be no different than those conventional fighter jet." Chief researcher raised her hand and petted Morgan's black radome. “However, the condition of lending Morgan to your organization is to ask your best pilot to fly it, let us collect data we need. It's not I doubt your skills, Mr. Solo Wing, but can you cooperate with our test as much as possible? "

Larry stared at her for a few seconds, “Fine."

“Thanks for your cooperation." Chief researcher smiles with satisfaction, but it vanished in a flash. She turns away with no expression on her face and say, “My assistant was right, voice doesn't matter. It just skipped that part, you can move on to the next. After all, time is short, isn't it? "

“Put on your helmet, please." That mechanical voice spoke again, can’t to tell whether it was a man or a woman’s voice. “Next is the accuracy test for tracking head and eye movements." Larry did what it said. Compared to that eccentric chief researcher, the system's emotionless voice was quite harmless.

It's not that he didn’t realized that they were hiding something from him, but Gründer Industries and “A World With No Boundaries” are just taking what they needed from each other, at least now, it’s a relationship about mutual use, so there was no need to be completely honest with each other. Besides, they have no reason to harm him.

At the end of this day’s test, it was evening. Joshua Bristow comes to the hangar.

“You look like a small lab rat." He said with a cunning smile.

Larry just gave him a glance, ignored his joke.

And Joshua, as always, doesn't mind. Seems like whatever Larry does or says can never piss him off. He turn to the researcher, “Give me a copy of Morgan’s system data."

“For what purpose?" researcher ask him.

“Kupchenko has some ideas for improvement. But he's about to leave for some days, he'll talk to your chief after he's back. "

Although Kupchenko is known as the chief engineer of the Project Pendragon, Larry does not know that he also studied fighter jet. Kupchenko’s TAC name is shadow, but he’s more like the leader and executor of AWWNB than those politicians and generals who currently hiding, only secretly provide resources they need. Is Kupchenko who manages almost everything, and he used to doing them himself.

Larry remembers that a few days ago, he was called to the hangar by Joshua and kupchenko, and when he step on the second floor to join them, he looked down, noticed Morgan's right wing painted red.

“Beautiful creation, isn't it?" Kupchenko spoke.

“Yeah." Morgan is beautiful, he agree that, but, “Why?"He thought Kupchenko will pilot Morgan himself.

“’Demon Lord’. You know him best.”

When heard this nickname, Larry's hands holding the railing suddenly grasped. Joshua noticed his reaction, looked at him with interest.

“No, I don't really know him." Larry voice were calm. ‘No one does.’

“You were his wingman, Larry, you familiar with his pattern of flight and combat. More importantly, you are the only one among us who has fought with him before."

“Huh? "

"You didn't tell him?" Kupchenko asked Joshua, a bit of blame in his tone.

“I thought he knew." Joshua shrugged.

Kupchenko sighed, “Phantom Eagle. That pilot who torn off your wing. "

He should be surprised. But he doesn't. Maybe it's he saw some similarities about the way of his flying, or maybe Jenkins accidently let something she shouldn’t tell slipped her mouth. Maybe he knew this all the time.  
But he doesn't care. Should he?

The partner he fought together with, he can rely on with, would trust him with his own life, was the enemy that nearly killed him.

So what?

Today's ally might be the enemy of yesterday, same on the contrary. Just another normal day of mercenary life.

And himself, he was work for Belka when he met the Phantom Eagle, no, Cipher. Then, they became a team, liberated Ustio, invaded Belka, and-- Hoffnung...

Now they are just on the opposite side again.

“Now he knows."

“Yeah." Larry was not irritated by Joshua, “Only I can fight him."

"You are the last insurance." Kupchenko said, “If we can’t stop him.”

"Hey. What’s in your mind?" Joshua's voice pulled him out from memory, “Remember kupchenko's ‘last insurance’? "

“I remember that, you have something to tell me?" He stood up from seat.

One of the ground service crew pushed the boarding ladder to Morgan, let him could get down.

Joshua moved aside a little bit, took a glance of his watch. “Today's test are over. It's time to have dinner."

Larry stood on the ladder and stared at him.

“I don't know either." Joshua smiled again, “Kupchenko didn't tell me, but I guess he was going out to prepare for it."

‘Chill,’ Larry said in his mind, ‘This is not the first day you know him.’

A few days later, Kupchenko returned to base. Morgan and Larry both stopped testing temporarily, there were some upgrades and repairs needed.

Larry is reading Morgan’s manual most of the time. The manual is written in Belkan, not a problem for him.

As he studies, Morgan really doesn't have any special features except for weapons and that “prototype system" he consider as redundant.

Kupchenko didn’t say anything about the ‘last insurance’ since. Unlike Joshua, Kupchenko will not tell you what he’s going to do. He tells you when he already done it. And he doesn't like to be ask around.  
So Larry didn't ask, Kupchenko would tell him sooner or later.

Those ground tests didn't last long, Larry gets to fly Morgan for the first time. 

Morgan is quite flexible, comfortable to operate, and has a significantly greater mobility than the F-15C he familiar to. Although Larry would not dare to think he can defeat Cipher only because he has the more advanced fighter. He know exactly how powerful Cipher is.

Becuase of curious, and tiredness, he released throttle and control stick, let the system fly for him. On the way back to base, they flying steadily in the clouds, to reduce the possibility of being discovered by spy satellites of other countries.

Maybe he hasn't had a good rest since left Ustio, he feels sleepy. While half asleep, he see a shadow in the clouds at the front right, that’s... A dark winged F-15.

“Cipher...?" he muttered, trying to see it clearly.

“Radar shows there are no flying objects in this airspace. It is not recommended that the pilot enter sleep during autopilot. " The voice of the system suddenly sounded in his ear. Larry instantly recovered to his senses, grabbed the control stick again.

“Autopilot has been cancelled to avoid conflicts with the pilot's operation."

Just as Larry thought the system would not say anything again, it speak again.

“Is ‘Cipher’ an instruction?"

“...No.”What happened to its voice? This is not Bitching Betty's voice.

“Were you looking at ‘Cipher’?"

Larry was confused, this system never spoke actively to him, except for ground tests.

“How did you know where I was looking at?"

“I analysed your eye movements."

“Oh."He forget that.

"What is ‘Cipher’?"

“It's not what, who."

“Who is Cipher?"

Larry don’t know if he want to answer this to it.

“I only records radio talk and commands you give me. Recording current conversation is not my job. Can you tell me who is Cipher? "

He remember that the chief researcher said it is not an AI. But this-- system, definitely not just a voice assistant. And it seems that it won't give up until it hear his answer.

“Cipher is my former flight leader."That’s not a secret anyway.

“Cipher is Galm 1, confirmed. There's no personal information about Cipher in my data base."

‘So it has my personal info.’

“I will be surprised if you have any."He says.

“What you just saw, was Cipher’s aircraft?"

“I saw nothing." Larry said and looked that direction again.

“Galm 1 is an enemy target must to be destroyed."

Larry stunned for a moment, he was not used to hearing such describe about Cipher. It seems that in his mind, he never really regarded Cipher as his enemy.  
What is it, then? They’re not buddies anymore, he fired missiles at Cipher before he gone AWOL. And Cipher must be pissed, or disappointed, if he ever had these feelings.

It's like knowing that Larry doesn't have any mood to talk anymore. It remain silence, didn’t speak again.

The next day, researcher reminds him, “The data shows during yesterday’s flight you fell into sleep for about two minutes, then woke up by the system. Although Morgan's autopilot is very reliable, and this aircraft has ECM, but still, for your own safety, remain sober while flying. "

Larry didn't know whether to say that AI was honest. Kupchenko certainly will heard about this.

Later that day, he got grounded, till he get himself together. There’s nothing he can do but accept this order and try to get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know Z.O.E, right?  
> I supposed there has to be a basic sample data to create it's prototype.  
> And what those data come from?  
> -  
> Morgan's system warning like "Pull up", and during tests, are like bitching betty or barking bob, just normal system voice. But when that AI speaks, its voice are like robots' in Kill Command (2016), maybe a little bit more... Unisex?


End file.
